Ann M Moormann

Professor Ann M Moormann is a distinguished faculty member at UMass Chan Medical School, holding positions across multiple departments and programs. She serves in the Department of Medicine at the T.H. Chan School of Medicine, the Program in Microbial Dynamics, and various graduate programs including Immunology and Microbiology, Masters in Clinical Investigation, and the MD/PhD Program at the Morningside Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences.

Dr. Moormann received her BA in French & Microbiology from the University of Minnesota, followed by an MPH and PhD in Philosophy from the University of Michigan. Her educational background has provided a strong foundation for her interdisciplinary research approach spanning microbiology, immunology, and global health.

Dr. Moormann's research primarily focuses on pediatric immunity to infectious diseases, with special emphasis on Plasmodium falciparum malaria and Epstein Barr Virus (EBV). Her work investigates the complex interplay between malaria and EBV co-infections in the etiology of endemic Burkitt lymphoma (eBL), the most common pediatric cancer in sub-Saharan Africa. Through longitudinal studies in Kenya, her laboratory examines how chronic malaria exposure affects immune responses to EBV and contributes to cancer development. Her research program includes investigating IL-15/IL-7 responsiveness of EBV-specific T cells, the PD-1 pathway in malaria-exposed children, and Th17 cell responses in early-age human infections.

Her recent publications (2023-2025) demonstrate a strong focus on understanding the molecular mechanisms linking malaria and EBV in Burkitt lymphoma pathogenesis. Key research areas include viral genomics (particularly EBV variation), immune profiling of T cells and B cells, and the development of diagnostic and prognostic markers for eBL. Her work combines field studies in endemic regions with advanced laboratory techniques including next-generation sequencing and immune monitoring, revealing critical insights into how malaria-induced immune dysregulation facilitates EBV-driven oncogenesis.

Dr. Moormann maintains an active research program with extensive collaborations in Kenya, contributing significantly to our understanding of how infectious diseases can lead to cancer in resource-limited settings. Her work has important implications for developing prevention strategies and improving treatment outcomes for endemic Burkitt lymphoma, which remains a major pediatric health challenge in equatorial Africa.